BOC Life and C-MER Enter a Strategic Partnership Agreement

BOC Group Life Assurance Company Limited ("BOC Life") and C-MER Medical Holdings Limited ("C-MER") today (7 May 2025) signed a Strategic Partnership Agreement. BOC Life has also appointed Dr Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of C-MER, as Honorary Medical Adviser. By leveraging the combined strengths of both parties, this partnership aims to deliver high-quality, integrated "Insurance + Healthcare" solutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), providing premium, customer-centric solutions aligned with national healthcare priorities. A key initiative will be developing retirement financial services and creating a holistic healthcare and retirement business ecosystem within the GBA, offering customers seamless cross-border services. Capitalising on the "one-hour living circle", this partnership will accelerate healthcare integration, enhance interoperability, and foster high-quality development throughout the GBA.

Amidst the increasing cross-border mobility between Hong Kong and Mainland China, the demand for premium cross-border healthcare services within the GBA continues to grow. In response to national development priorities – establishing the GBA as a world-class destination for living and leisure, BOC Life and C-MER are collaborating to enhance cross-border medical service offerings. By introducing innovative "Insurance + Healthcare" solutions, premium medical service alternatives are made available throughout the GBA. As a leader in retirement financial services, BOC Life benefits from the extensive customer network and robust infrastructure of its parent group across Hong Kong and the Mainland. Concurrently, C-MER launched its C+ Health CKJ (Shenzhen) Hospital near the Luohu Port in January 2025, which the hospital will be positioned as a Centre for Excellence for HK Speciality Care, providing high-quality, cost-efficient medical care to patients across the GBA region. The strategic partnership between BOC Life and C-MER will combine their complementary strengths to deliver comprehensive "Insurance + Healthcare" solutions that enhance service offerings for shared customers and establish a benchmark for deeper GBA integration.

BOC Life has appointed Ophthalmologist Dr Dennis Lam Shun-chiu as the Honorary Medical Adviser. Dr Lam is a member of the National People’s Congress and a Legislative Councillor. He was formerly the Associate Dean (External Affairs) at the Faculty of Medicine and Chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Dr Lam is the Director of The Primasia International Eye Research Centre at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen). As a Life Fellow of the Academia Ophthalmologica Internationalis, he is recognised as one of the "Top 100 Most Influential Ophthalmologists in the World" (ranked 6th globally and 1st in the Asia-Pacific region). Dr Lam has also chaired the World Ophthalmology Congress and has recently ranked first on the "Asia Pacific EyeCons of the 21st Century". With his medical background, extensive experience in healthcare operations across Hong Kong and the Mainland as well as his strategic vision, Dr Lam will provide invaluable insight and support for BOC Life's medical insurance development.

Mr Wilson Tang, Chief Executive of BOC Life, said: “The GBA has made significant strides in advancing both ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ connectivity, fostering a growing trend of cross-border activities among Hong Kong residents, including consumption, lifestyle choices, and retirement planning. In this evolving landscape, cross-border healthcare services have become a pivotal facilitator of regional integration. Comprehensive healthcare resource connectivity across the GBA necessitates concerted efforts from multiple stakeholders, including government, financial institutions and healthcare providers. The strategic partnership between BOC Life and C-MER will be a model leveraging our distinctive strengths to provide 'Insurance + Healthcare' solutions, enriching the range of cross-border medical services available while fostering ‘emotional bonding’ among the GBA residents.”

Mr Wilson Tang emphasised the pivotal role of cross-border sojourn living and wellness in advancing China's silver economy. This emerging sector holds substantial strategic importance, serving as both a catalyst for increased consumption and a driver of diversified development within the retirement industry. Mainland cities, offering a high quality of life with comparatively lower living and healthcare costs, create a favourable environment for cross-border retirement, simultaneously providing Hong Kong's senior residents with a value-optimised alternative. The strategic insurance partnership between BOC Life and C-MER will synergise their respective strengths, addressing Hong Kong retirees' needs for affordable, high-quality, and diversified medical services, and providing geographic flexibility in healthcare access, consistent services, and streamlined processes. The partnership will significantly enhance the healthcare solutions provided by BOC Life in the GBA by creating seamless and ease of mind cross-border medical support, and becoming citizens’ trusted life partner throughout their retirement journey.

Dr Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of C-MER, said: “Aligned with the national 'Healthy China 2030' strategic blueprint, we observe a paradigm shift in the population’s health expectations, characterised by increasingly sophisticated and diverse demands for healthcare services and medical protection solutions. The partnership between C-MER and BOC Life embodies an unprecedented convergence of clinical excellence and financial protection expertise, catalysing transformative integration across our respective sectors. This strategic collaboration marks a watershed moment in our collective mission aims to cultivate a comprehensive 'Healthy Greater Bay Area' paradigm, delivering innovative solutions that holistically address the dynamic healthcare requirements of the region's residents."

BOC Life will continue to uphold the "People-Centricity and Customer-First" principle. Aligning the Group’s strategy of “globalisation, integration, and scenario-based operations”, and leveraging high-quality resources both domestically and abroad, BOC Life will enrich its innovative “insurance + non-financial” offerings and service models to address cross-border livelihood challenges. BOC Life will engage and collaborate with third-party strategic partners to develop integrated solutions for various scenarios, including healthcare and retirement, that meet societal needs. BOC Life is committed to driving high-quality development through a diversified financial services strategy, and becoming the trusted life partner for its customers.

(From Left) Mrs Ann Kung, Adviser of Bank of China (Hong Kong); Mr Chan Man, Deputy Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong);Mr Wilson Tang, Chief Executive of BOC Life; Ms Li Xiaoting, Chief Executive Director of C-MER; Dr Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of C-MER; Dr Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen, Vice Chairman of the Board and Independent Non-executive Director of C-MER, witness the launch of innovative “Insurance + Healthcare” cross-border solutions.

Mr Wilson Tang, Chief Executive of BOC Life, emphasises the strategic partnership between BOC Life and C-MER will combine strengths of both parties in response to evolving market needs and deliver innovative "Insurance + Healthcare" integrated solutions.

Dr Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of C-MER, says 'Healthy China 2030' strategic blueprint, there is a paradigm shift in the population’s health expectations, characterised by increasingly sophisticated and diverse demands for healthcare services and medical protection solutions. The partnership between C-MER and BOC Life embodies an unprecedented convergence of clinical excellence and financial protection expertise, catalysing transformative integration across both sectors. This strategic collaboration aims to cultivate a 'Healthy Greater Bay Area', delivering innovative solutions that holistically address the dynamic healthcare requirements of the region's residents. The strategic collaboration marks a watershed moment in our collective mission to cultivate a comprehensive “Healthy Greater Bay Area” paradigm, delivering innovative solutions that holistically address the dynamic healthcare requirements of the region's residents.

Distinguished guests grace this exclusive occasion: (From Left) Mr Alfred Cheung, Deputy Chief Executive of BOC Life; Ms Carmen Kan Wai-mun, Legislative Councilor; Mrs Ann Kung, Adviser of Bank of China (Hong Kong); Mr Stephen Chan, Deputy Chief Executive of Bank of China (Hong Kong); Dr Dennis Lam Shun-chiu, Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and Executive Director of C-MER; Mr Ronick Chan Chun-ying, Legislative Councilor; Mr Wilson Tang, Chief Executive of BOC Life; Dr Rex Auyeung Pak-kuen, Vice Chairman of the Board and Independent Non-executive Director of C-MER, Ms Li Xiaoting, Executive Director of C-MER and Mr Chapman Chan, Chief Strategy and Investment Officer of C-MER.